Dominion CEO: layoffs possible in SCANA merger

The chief executive officer of Virginia-based Dominion Energy told a South Carolina Senate panel this week that, if the deal to buy utility holding company SCANA goes through, there may be a change in the company’s local workforce.

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CEO Tom Farrell told senators there could be some job reductions should the merger take place. “I can’t say there aren’t going to be job losses, or I cannot say that and be truthful with you,” he admitted. “They will not be significant.”

Farrell said there most likely will not be a change among “frontline” employees who head out into the field, such as line crews or repair workers. “The linemen, groundmen, service workers, the people that are in the field,” he told the panel. “Which is the vast majority of the workforce. We’re not going to send linemen down from Virginia to turn your lights back on. I don’t know why there would be any change there.”

However, he could not promise the same for white-collar workers in administrative positions which could also be done at the company’s headquarters in Virginia. Farrell said Dominion would ensure those workers are paid through 2020, but that “redundant” positions would be eliminated. He did not give further details.

Senators are wary over Dominion’s plan to buy the parent of South Carolina Electric & Gas in the aftermath of a failed nuclear reactor expansion at the VC Summer plant in Fairfield County.

Some are concerned that Dominion will continue to charge customers for the failed project. Dominion has said it would offer a $7-a-month rate cut to SCE&G customers and a onetime rebate of a $1,000 to customers, but customers would still be paying through their electric bills for the project for the next 20 years.